Forest fire warning in Nghe An has been raised to extremely dangerous level.
In recent days, Nghe An province has experienced intense heat, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in some areas, posing a very high risk of forest fires.
On June 17th, the Steering Committee for the Sustainable Forestry Development Program of Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025 issued Notice No. 610/TB-BCĐ regarding forest fire warnings.
According to information from the National Center for Hydrometeorology, on June 16th, the temperature in Do Luong district reached 40.3 degrees Celsius; the relative humidity was low, generally ranging from 45-55%. A heatwave warning has been issued for Nghe An province, which is likely to continue for the next few days.
Due to the impact of intense heat, exceptionally severe in some areas, combined with low humidity, the risk of forest fires is very high. The Steering Committee for the Sustainable Forestry Development Program of Nghe An province, 2021-2025, warns of forest fire risk levels in forest areas of Nghe An province from June 17th, 2024 to June 23rd, 2024: From Level IV - Dangerous to Level V - Extremely Dangerous.
To proactively respond to, limit, and minimize damage caused by forest fires, the Steering Committee requests the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns; the Forest Protection Force; forest management units; and relevant agencies and units to seriously implement the regulations in the Decrees and Official Dispatches of the Prime Minister on continuing to vigorously and effectively implement forest fire prevention and control measures nationwide; and the Official Dispatches and Directives of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on continuing to vigorously and effectively implement forest fire prevention and control measures in Nghe An province.
At the same time, effectively implement forest fire warning systems at fire watchtowers throughout the province, and monitor the forest fire warning information system of the Forest Protection Department. Improve the early warning and forecasting of forest fire risk levels to local authorities, forest owners, and the public to raise awareness and proactively implement appropriate measures for forest fire prevention and control.
Agencies and units should strengthen propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility in forest fire prevention and control. At the same time, they should inspect, supervise, and guide the control of fire use in and near forests by the people, especially slash-and-burn farming activities, and temporarily suspend the use of fire for clearing vegetation; strictly punish acts of using fire that pose a risk of forest fires during peak periods of high forest fire risk.
In addition, organize on-duty shifts and assign personnel to be on standby 24/7 during hot weather; set up checkpoints, patrols, and guard posts in key areas prone to forest fires, and strictly control the movement of people in and out of high-risk forest areas (the tomb of Lady Hoang Thi Loan, the mausoleum of King Mai Hac De, the Quyet Mountain forest park, the Cuong Temple area...).
Timely detection of fire points, mobilization of forces to control and extinguish forest fires in the shortest possible time, preventing large-scale fires; strict adherence to reporting procedures, ensuring complete, accurate, and timely reporting to support timely and effective guidance, management, and organization of forest fire prevention and control.
Proactively and urgently review forest fire prevention and control plans and strategies in the district based on the "four on-the-spot" principle; allocate personnel, equipment, materials, and funds to support forest fire prevention and control efforts.
When a forest fire occurs, the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the district, city, or town must be present at the scene to directly supervise and coordinate forces, equipment, logistics, and command firefighting according to the approved plan. For forests near residential areas or warehouses, when a fire occurs, proactive measures must be taken to evacuate people from the dangerous area and to ensure the safety of lives and property for the people and forces participating in forest firefighting.
After extinguishing the fire, we request that the local authorities direct relevant agencies to promptly investigate and determine the cause and perpetrators of the fire, and strictly punish those who violated regulations.